Visa launches data centre in South Africa as part of R1bn investment

VISA, an American multinational payment card services giant, on Wednesday launched its data centre in Johannesburg, its first in Africa and part a R1 billion investment over the next three years into South Africa.

- PHILIPPA LARKIN

"This investment reflects our commitment to the long-term potential of South Africa and its economy," said Michael Berner, the head of Southern and East Africa at Visa. "With the launch of this state-of-the-art Data Centre, we are building the digital foundations needed to drive inclusion, unlock innovation and power the broader vision of sustainable economic growth across the region."

In announcing the investment, Berner said part of the investment will also cover creation of the new jobs. It will support entrepreneurs, SMEs, female leaders and the broader communities, which need some additional financial literacy.

Visa's new Data Centre represents a significant expansion of its global processing network, VisaNet, which powers more than 100 billion transactions annually across 200 countries and territories.